The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-16
THE PHILADELPHIA JUBILEE
First Day of the Great Celebration in
Honor of the Federal Constitution.
The City Lavishly Decorated and the Streets
Packed with Masses Of Peope-Illus-
trations of Century's Progress.

| morning Ifthere is one thing more than another
for which the million and half of people, who
| are temporary residents of this city of centen-
| malls thankful, it is the weather. With a
clear sky, obscured here and there only by light
clouds. the day far gives promise of being
everything that could be wished. and heavy
| load has been lifted from the hearts of many
who have been for months looking forward to
the day when the greatest epoch in the history
of the last century should be celebrated. Phila-
delphia and her hundreds OF thousands of guests
appeared the streets early this morning in
their holiday earb, light-hearted, and all bent
| toward the single object of making the cele-
bration fitting All day yesterday and
last night visitors, including distinguished
| guests, military and fremen, arrived by every
| possible conveyance, and the dozen railroad
| depots were taxed to the utmost in accom-
| modating the throng which had flooded to the
''cradle of liberty" to bear witness by their
| presence of their love and veneration for the
historic document which gave them liberty and
| freedom, and made this "a government of the
people, By the people and for the people" All
| the hotels were filed to overlooking by yester-
day morning, and every inch of surplus space
| had been filed with cots and other means of
| temporary rest, so that many of the strangers
! had to resort to the "bureau of information"
/
early days of the constitutional CEN
| tennial boom, and which has
performed an important mission since its incep-
ton. 1t is safe to say that there at least two
hundred thousand visitors from a distance. in
! addition to the thousands from adjacent coun-
| ties of Pennsy lvana, New Jersey, Delaware
| and Maryland and hardly State or Territory
| remains unrepresented in the three days festi-
| val The streets to-day presented an appear
| ance that is lovely in the extreme. In all di-
! rections, as far as the eye can reach, was one
mass of bunting and decoration. Many of the
| newspaper Offices and public buildings made
a lavish display, the decorators having worked
early and late to complete their work in time
At daybreak this morning they were still at
work, putting the finishing touch es, which
have been delayed more less by the inclem-
ent weather. Every arrarg cement has been
made by those in charge, and the day
of the most eventful ones in the history of the
civilized world.
The monster civic aud industrial pageant
started from Broad and Dauphin streets short
ly after 10 o'clock. and marched to Broad and
Moore streets. distance OF nearly five miles,
and then countermarched to the starting point.
passing through one continuous line of observa-
ton stands galy decorated with flags of all
nations. North Broad street SO crowded as
to be almost impossible early Z o'clock,
and the great crowds blocked themselves to-
gether in the Streets notwi hstanding the efforts
of the police to keep the latter clear. On North
Broad street there was scarcely a house. public
or private, that was not covered with bunting
in other ways suitably decorated. The decora-
tors strved for novel effects. and in this they
were highly successful Some houses were
almost covered with heroic statues Of
Columbia, surrounded by the flags
all nations, while other fronts were
completely concealed with bunting The Odd
fall hall ifnd han ur,air1 hat
place as the spot where Franklin drew lightning
from the clouds in 1852" and at other points
busts of Washington were mounted in front of
the houses and profusely decorated Nearly all
the side streets leading into North Broad were
roped off, and were hlled with trucks which
huge tiers of seats erected and rapidly
sold. Amid the CAV holiday attire of the streets,
there is nothing more conspicuous and artistic
than the three triumphal arches that span Broad
and Chestnut streets. The Broad-street arch,
the principal one, is almost opposite the main
reviewing stand which will be occupied by the
President and his party upon their arrival. It
was erected by the centennial commission, and
is sixty feet high, springing from each curb; ia
OF plain semi circular FORM and segmen ted
the south with illuminated shields of the thirty
eight States forming the Union, and on the north
with the names of the States. the shield and name
of each being back to back. The thirteen
original States occupy the middle position of the
group and the others are placed alongside in the
order in which they came into the Union. Sur
mounting the arch is a mammoth device consist
ing of an American eagle and stand of national
colors.
The scene at the grand reviewing stand, stu
ated opposite the Union League club house,
Broad street. just below SAMSON. grand
one. The stands either side of Broad street
filed with people, and the gay colors of
the ladies' and chldrens raimenr lent beauty to
the magnificent and elaborate decorations of the
stands themselves. There sixteen tele-
graph stations along the route of the parade,
which established for the purpose of
communi oatlng from one end of the line to
the others, and Just q telegram flashed
the wires announcing that the pageant had
started from Broad and Dauphin streets. at 1925
A. NJ, Governor Beaver rode by in his carriage
and was greeted by hearty round of applause
By IL o'clock the Distinguished guests, the gov
ernors, foreign ministers, and others began to
pour into their assigned places thick and fast
AS the different governors passed up our down
Broad street and were recognized they received
round after round of cheers, and the ladies and
children Joined in the greeting by waving their |
hats. handkerchiefs and parasols.
The constitutional entennial commission was
officially presented on the grand stand by Hon.
John A. Kasson, president; Hon. Amos r. Little, |
chairman of the executive COMMITTEES; Hampton |
L. Carson. secretary; F. Carroll Brewster, jr., |
corresponding secretary, aAd assistant secretary
Black, VINO occupied seats on the front of the |
stand. Section A, the central portion of the |
stand, was reserved for the Governors of the |
States. with their stats. On this stand, also, |
Senators and ReDresen tatives in Congress, |
many of whom were present; the commls sioners |
of the various States and Territories, thirty three
of whom were present; the diplomatic corps, the |
foreign consuls and specially invited guests of |
the commission. Section B contained distin-
guished visitors.
The head of the procession. led by a Gordon of |
mounted police, reached the City Hall, at Broad |
and Market streets. at 11:40. The crowd
immense at this point that the police had great
difficulty in driving them back. The street was,
however, cleared in time to prevent stoppage |
of the moving pageant, which proceeded around
the west side of the City Hall and past the |
grand reviewing stand at Walnut street.
The monster civic and industrial parade, |
illustrating the Advancement of industrial arts
and sciences during the past century, it is be-
lieved fairly eclipsed any thing of the kind ever
known. There in line 300 floats, each |
bearing a representation of some particular
branch of industry, II, 600 men. 1000 horses. and
80 bands of music AT the head of the column
rode Col A Louden Snowden, chief marshal,
and his staff of fifty aids a standard bearer and
two trumpeters. Directly behind them, and
leading the column itself, was the United States